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I've played against Medics in Imperial Guard armies many times. I've used Chirurgeons in my Inquisitorial armies for years. But I rarely pulled out my Apothecary (in any of my Space Marine armies). I loved the model, but I could never seem to justify the extra points. With the new Dark Angels codex, I thought I would give the Terminator Apothecary a spin. After my first game, I realized how much I've been missing. I thought I would take a few minutes and share my recent experiences.
With a little skill and a lot of luck, a single Apothecary can ignore 12 wounds in the course of a 6-turn game. I've done it twice in my last six games with my Terminator Apothecary. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of this underappreciated model.
Tip #1: Remember the Apothecary can be used in both players’ turns. This not only allows you to shrug enemy fire in his turn, but it allows you to ignore a pesky overheat (or failed Perils of the Warp test) in your turn.
Dirty Trick #1: No wounds cause Instant Death to Sammael because he has an Adamantine Mantle. This means a Ravenwing Apothecary can ignore a S8+ wound placed on him. This is a fantastic way for expensive Ravenwing units to shrug powerful weapons like Lascannons.
Tip #2: This is the gem of the article and if you walk away understanding this tip, you are going to love your Apothecary. Most players lose the benefit of the Narthecium when they get into close combat (a model moves into base contact which locks the Apothecary). So the secret is to prevent the Apothecary from getting LOCKED in the combat.
First of all, when you assault take care in the placement of the Apothecary. Make sure he's the last model moved. This allows you to place him within 2" of a model in base contact with the enemy. I usually choose a model I won't take as a casualty (my Power Fist Sergeant, for example). To prevent your opponent from getting in base contact when he assaults, make sure your Apothecary is inside your unit. This is pretty easy unless you are being assaulted by really fast units like Assault Marines or Seraphim.
Next, to keep the Apothecary from being locked, you have to have a clear understanding of the 'Pile In' rules.
The 'Pile In' Moves sections tells us "At the end of each Assault Phase, models in units that were locked, but which are not themselves engaged in combat, MUST move up to 6" in an attempt to contact enemy that were in the same combat" (BGB, p44). The key word here is engaged.
If you look up "engaged" you will find that a model is engaged if it is "base-to-base contact, or within 2" of a model from its own unit in base-to-base contact" (BGB, p38).
This means if one of your models is within 2" of a model in base contact with the enemy, it doesn't have to move in base contact. Almost everu 40K player plays this wrong and moves all models into base contact. But if the model is already in the killzone (i.e., within 2" of a model in base contact), you don't move him.
For example, you assault a unit with your Command Squad. You place each model in base contact, moving your Apothecary last. If done carefully, there will be no way to put your Apothecary to get into base contact so he moves behind a member of his own unit. He's not in base contact with the enemy, but he is "engaged". So he doesn't Pile In at the end of the combat. Now he's engaged, but not locked. This means his Narthecium will work in the next turn (and every turn until he is locked in base contact).
Tip #3: The Narthecium works on any friendly model within 6" of the Apothecary. Even veteran players often forget this rule. So if you have two squads near each other, keep the important models within 6" of the Apothecary.
Dirty Trick #2: I use a Deathwing Terminator Squad with an Apothecary and a Ravenwing Bike Squad with two Plasma Guns in my Dark Angels army. In my first turn I Deep Strike Deathwing Assault my Terminators 6" in front of my Bikes, then move my Bikes 12". This allows my Ravenwing to move their maximum distance but keeps my Apothecary within 6' of the Plasma Guns. My Bikes rapid-fire and the Apothecary fixes the first overheat (saving me a very expensive bike). Works like a charm.
Tip #4: Don't forget about the Reductor. I don't get a lot of use out of this because I use a Terminator Apothecary in a Fearless unit, but it's very handy for keeping preventing Morale tests in nearby squads.
If you are a Dark Angels player, I recommend trying out the Deathwing Terminator Apothecary (and Standard Bearer). Even if you are still using the Space Marine Codex, this addition is definitely worth the points if you play it right.
Thanks for reading and I'd love some comments from players who use the Apothecary (or play against one)!
14 comments:
Good comments. I only disagree with the locked and engaged comments, because they use them pretty fast and loose in the Big Book. I believe that once you are engaged you are also locked. BTW I'll play you any day of the week with my apothecary
I agree that the terms are used interchangeably at times, but if they mean the same thing why have two different terms? And why define them with such emphasis (the use of CAPITALS) on page 38.
Good point.
Doesn't the diagram on page 44 pretty clearly show models within 2" being forced to move into base-to-base?
I agree with you that if you ignore the diagram, you -could- play it like you state. The text under the diagram matches up with your interpretation too... but the arrows clearly show models within 2" of the fight being moved into base-to-base.
I think my gaming group is going to continue playing it like we have been. I guess GW says that we're supposed to use "Rules as Written" and not "Rules as Drawn", but I feel like we're playing it as intended.
Yep, Scott it certainly does. The basic questions is do the designers want all combatants in base contact? Or do they want all combatants in the killzone?
There's no wrong answer here, but I tend to think being in the killzone is no different than being in base contact.
In general being forced into base contact is worse for both players. They can't use things like Medics/Apothecaries and it takes away some flexibility in splitting attacks between enemy units.
I tend to go with whichever way my opponent prefers (usually moving everyone into base contact) unless one of us has a medic or apothecary.
Thanks for the comment!
When I read the text, it seems pretty clear to me that models within 2" of friendly models in base contact with an enemy model is in fact engaged and does not need to pile in. Then again the frustrating part is looking at the illustration which shows something different than what is written both in the text above, an in the text under the illustration.
Have you tried this for the GW grand jury, mkerr?
- Osiris
Osiris, nope I haven't tried this at a major tournament yet. This year, I'm bringing a Deathwing Apothecary so I expect it will come up at least once.
I'll let you know if I get a ruling.
mkerr,
Instead of just saying "this is the way we've always done it and, thus, this is how it shall be forever" I instead decided to give this interpretation a whirl.
I tried this out last night, just to see what impact on the game it would have if I didn't play "everyone piles in" and instead playing "unengaged models pile in only".
Two things came up.
First: In at least one fight, it opened up a corridor for another follow-up unit to get a charge in where it wouldn't have before (due to other friendly models blocking base-to-base). This seems to be a big change.
Second: When possible, my opponent would attempt to get his unengaged models that were piling in into base-to-base with my models that weren't in base-to-base but who were engaged, regardless if they were an apothecary or anything else.
I will be -very- curious how this works out at a tournament. And best of luck to you in the tourney.
Hey Mkerr, very good stuff. However I think we have been ruling on the "engaged" issue and not the one that matters. Locked as it is described on pg. 38 of the rulebook seems to apply to the whole unit, so long as any member is in combat. Are you getting your "locked" understanding from somewhere else? I am very interested in this, so please let me know.
The 'Pile In' Moves sections tells us "At the end of each Assault Phase, models in units that were locked, but which are not themselves engaged in combat, MUST move up to 6" in an attempt to contact enemy that were in the same combat" (BGB, p44). The key word here is engaged.
No - the key word here is CONTACT. If the unit they were in a was locked in combat and the model was NOT engaged it MUST move into CONTACT.
In the instances Mkerr is quoting for the sake of the tactica, the Apothecary WAS engaged (not locked) and therefore is not required to move. However, more power to you if you can keep an Apothecary in a 5-man Deathwing squad from being locked. Anything your opponent piles in that wasn't engaged can move 6" after all.
Further to this, if the Apothecary was NOT engaged he MUST attempt to CONTACT the enemy. If he CAN contact (and this implies base-to-base contact yes?) the he simply must do it.
Page 38, first paragraph:
"Once a model is in base-to-base contact, or within 2" of a model from its own unit in base-to-base contact, with an enemy model it is said to be ENGAGED (as in engaged in combat). The unit that the models belong to is said to be LOCKED (as in locked in close combat)."
So a unit with ENGAGED models are also LOCKED. Thus an apothecary with a squad in close combat is LOCKED and cannot use his equipment at all. (Page 25, Dark Angels Codex)
This unfortunately reduces his use quite a bit.
all i have to say is that " only engaged models fight"..."these are the members that can attack and be attacked"..."only engaged models can be casualties"..."the rest of the unit is locked and subject to the outcome of the close combat."
the blod letters on 38 even confirm this. it is the unit that is locked not individuals. apothecaries never ever work in close combat unless they are next to(within 6")a locked unit.
I use apothecaries a lot. I love em. but the rules say units get locked. not individuals.
I have found that keeping apothecaries out of H-to-H is best. but with terminators you really dont have to worry.
- Long live the raven wing and deathwing. they are truly fierce!
ps. i posted previous anonymous.
I have a question. What weapon would any of you players recommend for an apothecary--a chainsword or a bolt pistol?
I've never played Warhammer 40K, though I'd love to. So I'm wondering, can the narthecium function as a weapon or not? and can the apothecary have any special weapons like plasma pistols, combi-meltas or melta bombs?
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